India registers record high farm output

Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-29 13:29:06|Editor: Li Xia

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An Indian woman buys vegetables at a road side market in Kolkata, India on Aug. 30, 2018. Agricultural output during the last financial year (2017 July-2018 June) touched a new high at 284.83 million tons, according to the government's agriculture estimates released on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Tumpa Mondal)

NEW DELHI, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Agricultural output during the last financial year (2017 July-2018 June) touched a new high at 284.83 million tons, according to the government's agriculture estimates released on Tuesday.

This is said to be around 9.72 million tonnes higher, compared to the previous year. The increase in farm output is attributed to good monsoon last year.

Among the crops which witnessed record production were rice (112.91 million tonnes), wheat (99.70 million tonnes), coarse cereals (46.99 million tonnes) and pulses (25.23 million tonnes).

The Times of India reported that this was the fourth and final estimate released by the government.

The ongoing sowing operation of summer crops shows that though the current 2018-19 year may not match the last year's record, it will continue to be a good year for food grain production if one analyses the ongoing sowing operations.

It also said that the total sown area this year was almost the same as last year's. The total sown area under summer crop stood at around 100 million hectares as of Aug. 24, as compared to 100.8 million hectares at this time last year, which is only 1.3 percent less.

Quoting an official, the English daily reported that storage in most of the reservoirs and water bodies across the country was "quite good" which would help farmers during the farming season. Besides, good rains in many parts of the country will help the soils to retain moisture for winter sown crops.